Good news for breast Ca survivors who want to become pregnant

Women with localized breast cancer who have a good prognosis may attempt pregnancy as soon as 6 months after completing treatment, rather than the oft recommended 2 years, without negatively influencing maternal survival, according to the results of a recent population-based study.

Researchers from Australia found that women who subsequently conceived had higher overall survival rates than those who didn't (hazard ratio 0.59, 95% CI, 0.37–0.95). While the effect was nonsignificant in those women who waited at least 6 months after completing treatment to conceive, it was significant in those who waited at least 24 months (0.48, 0.27–0.83).

Ives A, Saunders C, Bulsara M, et al. Pregnancy after breast cancer: population-based study. BMJ. 2007;334:194-196.